Morocccan Oumaarir wins Belfast marathon
Morocco’s Mohamed Oumaarir and Ethiopia’s Shewaye Woldemeskel were crowned champions in the men’s and women’s categories respectively at the Belfast Marathon held on May 1, 2023.
Oumaarir secured a comfortable victory in the men’s race, crossing the finishing line in two hours, 22 minutes, and 54 seconds. He was closely followed by Welshman Adam Bowden, who finished second in 2:23:26. The race favourite and 2017 winner, Bernard Rotich, clocked 2:26:03 in third place, surprising many with his fading performance in the final few miles.
In the women’s category, Woldemeskel eased to victory in 2:37:20, finishing four minutes clear of local runner Gladys Ganiel. Ethiopia’s Gadise Negasa came in third with a time of 2:44:24.
The race featured several notable participants, including some of the world’s top long-distance runners. The event saw a three-man leading group consisting of Oumaarir, Bowden, and Rotich, who were neck and neck for the majority of the race. However, Oumaarir’s impressive performance in the final stages saw him pull away from the pack and secure a comfortable win.
The Belfast Marathon, one of Ireland’s largest sporting events, attracts thousands of participants every year, and this year’s edition was no exception. The race started and ended at the city’s iconic Stormont Estate, covering a distance of 26.2 miles across the Northern Irish capital.
